Dining out is more than a pastime for Louisiana residents – it’s a lifestyle! And, while Acadiana has no shortage of stellar restaurants, many of the menu items make staying on a healthy track very challenging.

We talked to several restaurants in the area and found ways to navigate through all the roux, batter and gravies that make up Acadiana’s cuisine to help you choose healthier options while still enjoying the dining experience.

Special Order or Just Ask

Tweaking a menu item just a bit can drastically alter how many calories it packs. Plenty of dishes come topped with what amounts to an entire second meal or arrive at your table smothered in high-fat, rich sauces. When ordering, request that your dish, and its toppings (crabmeat, for example) and all sides, be cooked without butter or sauces, and ask that dressings and sauces are served on the side. Other great ways to save on fat and calories are to substitute a corn or whole wheat tortilla for flour and always choose grilled, over fried, entrees.

At Preservation in New Iberia, Lex Indest tells us their healthiest menu items are their juicy steaks with a side of sauteed green beans or roasted brussels sprouts. “We also offer a lighter version of the crab cake. It’s a Maryland-style crab cake with a little filler and Panko crust.”

Go Where the Healthy Foods Live

We spoke to Becca at Sandra’s Café and Health Food about their menu items. “All of our meals are made with clean ingredients,” says Becca. “We follow certain guidelines from beginning to end to ensure our meals are guaranteed clean.” Many people think eating healthy means spending more money, but not at Sandra’s. “We are happy to offer our menu at a reasonable price. So many people think healthy food is too expensive, but our meals are around eight to ten dollars, so eating healthy doesn’t have to break the bank.” And don’t think just because the meal is healthy it must be bland or peculiar. Sandra’s serves up breakfast burritos, roasted pork loin, venison burgers and BBQ. The best part? You can purchase all the clean, organic ingredients in their grocery!

Juice It

Looking for a healthy beverage that packs a huge nutritional punch? Karma Collective of Lafayette blends up organic juices that are not only yummy and refreshing, but are also detoxifying, immunity- building and helpful with digestion. “We really love our alkaline water, which we use in everything, from our medicinal wildcrafted herbal teas to our local blend kombuchas.” When asked what you should look for in ordering healthy beverages, Karma Collective’s advice is to ask if the water is pure and alkaline. “Only order organic, fresh and cold-pressed juices, because others are just chock-full of sugar,” the cafe recommends. “This way you get full benefits from the juice.”

Make Your Best Choice

You can almost always find healthy options on the menu, if you know what to look for. At the Point Seafood and Steakhouse in Broussard, for example, a server tells us, “Our healthiest dish is definitely the tuna steak, sauce on the side, or the shrimp tacos.” The Kitchenary in the Oil Center offers a host of healthy options as well. We enjoyed an avocado cranberry salad with chicken and sweet potato served on a bed of spinach, topped with sunflower seeds, and a light vinaigrette on the side. Also on the menu was baked salmon and beef and potato stew.

Making good food choices should not be left to chance when dining in a town full of fried seafood and roux-based cuisine. Knowing where to go, how to order and what to look for on a menu will help keep your health a priority, while still enjoying one of the best pastimes our culture has to offer.